Measuring raker depth

[ericm979]

I was sharpening a chain today and after using the soft wood side of the Husky roller tool progressive gauge to set the raker height, I thought I'd try measuring the raker height. I put the raker file along the chain on the points of two teeth and tried to slide a .025 feeler between that and the raker. No go. I thought the soft wood setting was more like .035? I then did the rakers again with a standalone progressive gauge, also the softwood side. That felt like the file was taking more off but still my measuring said it was less than .025. I went around again with just the file to lower the rakers a bit more to get them closer to .025.

Is measuring the drop in height between two teeth not the right way to do it? The file I was using to measure from is straight.

Also, the bar I was using, like most bars, has slightly bowed upper and lower runs. If you're measuring on a chain vice which is flat (except the ends) do you change the measurement? Or are the depth setting tools taking bar curvature into account?

 

[old guy]

I have all of those filing gauges & depth gauges & measuring tools, but they never come out of the toolbox anymore, I Just sharpen the chain till i can see it is sharp, mostly with a grinder, but I can file too.
A new chain gets two swipes off the rakers with a 6'' file before I even use it, after a couple of sharpenings they get three more, depending on how I feel it is going to cut, it only takes one cut to feel a poor chain.
I use full chizle chain & if I don't have blood dripping from a fingertip or two by the time the chain is back on the saw I probably didn't get it sharp.

 

[Ed Penney]

I have all of those filing gauges & depth gauges & measuring tools, but they never come out of the toolbox anymore, I Just sharpen the chain till i can see it is sharp, mostly with a grinder, but I can file too.
A new chain gets two swipes off the rakers with a 6'' file before I even use it, after a couple of sharpenings they get three more, depending on how I feel it is going to cut, it only takes one cut to feel a poor chain.
I use full chizle chain & if I don't have blood dripping from a fingertip or two by the time the chain is back on the saw I probably didn't get

 

[NSEric]

I recently picked up a 3/8 husky roller guide file kit off amazon.
The kit is cheaper than buying the files on their own and I needed files.
I tried the progressive gauge once, it didnt take enough off the rakers, I have other progressive gauges that work well tho. I tried the roller guide once and it wouldnt fit my oregon chain right but the files and file handle are nice.

My friends never use a raker gauge, they just take a swipe or two off at a time until the chain cuts good. I like having a progressive depth gauge but can get by just fine without one.

 

[ericm979]

One problem with progressive gauges is that they're made for a certain brand of chain. The exact tooth and raker shape can affect how the gauge sits on the tooth. Especially with safety chain, because of the extra bits sticking up.

I made a digital raker gauge using a digital tire tread gauge bolted to a chunk of aluminum angle. It rests across the tops of two teeth and measures the drop to the top of the raker. Using this I found that even after careful grinding to equalize the length of the teeth, the level of the tops is inconsistent. I'd see one raker be .030 and the next be .005. Equalizing them all made no noticeable difference in the chain performance. Back to the progressive gauges.

For one of my chains (Stihl 63PS3 on a MS241) I'm down to filing the rakers until the chain performs well. The chains' fairly worn so the teeth are short, and all of the progressive and non progressive gauges I have leave so much raker sticking up that the chain does not cut well.